Vignette
by pyr0technic
Summary: Life is a movie. What you really take with you, though, are the snapshots. They're engraved there forever, and that's a promise. -sometimes AU, several pairings, several genres-
1. Max the Matchmaker

**Characters: Ash, Misty, Max.**

**Genre: Humor.**

**Shipping: Pokeshipping**

**Notes: **I had quite a lot of fun writing this ^^ I figure this was the Ash/Misty interaction back in the good ol' Johto days, you know what I mean?

* * *

"Stop, Ash! FOR THE LAST TIME, YOU DO NOT KNOW WHERE WE'RE GOING!"

"Shut up! I do too!"

"Can I try using the PokeNav now-"

"NO!"

Ash, Misty and Max were in the midst of Viridian Forest, and as usual with Ash leading, they were hopelessly lost. Misty slumped to the grass, her hands running through her red hair in mocking despair. Max meanwhile, was no match for the two arguing teens. Whenever he tried to speak up, he was drowned out like a magikarp in the sea.

"Where did May and Brock go again?" Max moaned, joining in Misty's little thunderstorm cloud.

"I told you, they went to Pewter City ahead of us, since _someone_was too lazy to get his arse up and get going!" Misty retorted loudly, placing Ash in the spotlight.

"What! You expect me not to be tired? I just came back from saving the freaking world!" Ash defended, tending to get up in Misty's face as all their arguments ended up.

"Yeah, with me and Brock's help!" Misty shouted back, Ash's defense only sparking of hers.

"I'm still the 'Chosen One!'"

"SO WHAT?"

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN, SO WHAT! IT'S SO EVERYTHING!"

"Guys, maybe we should-"

"NO!"

Max slammed his forehead against a tree. He could no longer handle being around people that argued this much. All his attempts ended up the same way. Ash and Misty argued about things that had nothing to do with the current situation, and whenever Max spoke up, he was faced with a harsh, cold "NO!"

There had to be some way, some kind of magical...little chant that could make them both shut up! Max couldn't stand it! How had Brock possibly managed to tolerate this? He must've secretly put earplugs in his ears or something!

Max racked his mind for possibilities.

1.) Interrupting. (That had so not worked.)

2.) Earplugs (He had none in his possession.)

3.) ... (He had no idea)

He was doomed! DOOMED! His ears would possibly start bleeding! _Calm down, Max._

That's when Max's big mouth saved him for once. "Oh, let me ponder on the chances of you two ending up together..."

"What!"

"Max!"

Max grinned. _Wow, it worked! That's all it takes?_

"Perhaps it's...perhaps it's destiny," Max remarked wisely, stroking an imaginary beard on his chin.

"I see a black eye in your destiny, Max!" Misty screamed, her somehow gentle blue eyes glaring at Max, reminding him more of a raging storm than peaceful at all.

"Well-well my destiny isn't important here, it's YOURS!" With that comment, Max made a run for it.

"MAX, GET BACK HERE!" Misty and Ash managed to yell at the exact time, reaching for Max with hands like predators raging after him.

_Wow, I didn't think I would get this far...uh...what do I do now?_

On cue, Max escaped the dark forest and jumped out into the clear night sky, twinkling stars shining and all.

"When I get a hold if him I'll-!" Misty got interrupted in her rant as she finally reached Max and grabbed his shoulders dangerously.

"Wait! Guys, look!" Max said, not fazed by Misty's actions at all. His small finger pointed upwards into the sky.

It was a full moon that lit up the night sky's spirit.

"Shiny..." Ash commented, forgetting the past events.

Misty sent him an annoyed glance, feeling the need to hit him, but she caught ahold of what he was staring at as well. The moon did look very pretty that night...

"Oh, and you two are tied together by destiny."

"SHUT UP!"

"Uh, M-May! Brock! HELP!"


	2. The Question Game

**Characters: Ash, Misty, Brock.**

**Genre: Humor.**

**Shipping: Pokeshipping.**

**Notes: **Based on a real-life situation! The Question Game is a little something I had jolly good fun playing in class :D

* * *

"I'm tired."

One statement and the red-headed water Pokemon trainer had slumped down onto the ground, setting her beloved Togepi beside her.

Ash, Misty, and Brock were up and on the road since nine in the morning, and by then, nearly five hours had passed. No one could blame Misty for being exhausted. This explained Ash and Brock's wordless approval as they also dropped their backpacks onto the ground and panted heavily.

"For once you guys agree for a break!" Ash said accusingly from his sleeping position on the soft grass covered ground.

"Desperate times call for desperate measures," Brock pointed out, not bothering to glance at him.

"He has a point. You usually call for breaks every...five minutes or so," Misty said, lifting her nose in the air while smirking.

"Unfair," Ash commented, sticking his tongue out.

Misty would have definitely returned the childish gesture but she seemed to have something more prior to arguing with Ash on her mind.

"Let's play a game," Misty abruptly said, slamming her hands onto the ground.

"Depends. If it's the "Abandon-Brock-While-Running-Off-To-The-Next-Town-Without-Him-As-a-Joke Game, then NO," Brock said in disapproval, slightly panting from the long game name.

"That wasn't a game...it was just sort of..." Ash drifted off, letting the memory come back to him.

"For fun!" Misty finished for him, offering a sheepish smile. "Anyways, it's just a question game. You ask someone a question. That person can't answer the question. They need to ask another question to the person next to them, and the process repeats so on and so forth. You can't repeat a question, and you can't hesitate."

"That sounds easy. Okay, I'll play," said Brock, sitting up.

"I'll go first. Ummm what's your birthday?" Misty asked Brock.

"What's the color of the sky?" Brock asked without hesitation to Ash.

"Gyms or Contests?" Ash questioned Misty.

The game went on and on, each one of them looked determined to win.

Misty suddenly smirked very widely when it was her turn. "Brock, don't you think the Nurse Joy in Viridian City is hideous?"

"WHAT! NO! SHE IS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL OF THEM ALL!" Brock shouted out, nearly deafening Ash and Misty.

They shot him a skeptical, victorious look.

"Oh...right...dammit," Brock sighed, backing out of the circle. Ash and Misty faced each other like they were competing in the final battle of the Johto league. Which had to be pretty intense.

"Why is grass green?" Ash started.

"Why do you care?"

"Why do I care?"

"Why are you so dense?"

"Why are you so annoying?"

The insults got heavier by the second. But they eventually ran out of insults(suprisingly) and begun to take on a different path of questions.

"Have you ever killed a mockingbird?"

"The square root of 69 is 8 something, right?"

"Have you been trying to figure that out allll night?"

"What is this I don't even?"

"Want to stop recycling old memes any day now?"

"So, do you like Mudkipz?"

"Do you like Albino Llamas?"

"Can we stop making DeviantArt references?"

"Can you stop acting like a Gary Stu?"

"Why so Mary Sue?"

"Maybe you're a Peggy Sue, then?"

"What's a Peggy Sue?"

"WHY ARE YOU A CLOSEST TWILIGHT FAN?"

"Do you think I haven't seen your collection of cabinets?"

"What does that have to do with Toy Story 3?"

"The weather's been sunny today, don't you think?"

"Who do you like?"

"What do you think?"

"Do you think that I think I know?"

"I don't know, do you think that I think that you think that I think I know?"

"Maybe, do you think that I think that you think that I think that you think that I think I know?"

"Can we please stop?"

"Sure, when will this end?"

"Maybe when we sing the rainbow unicorn song?"

"What's that have to do with Brock being so thick-headed?"

"Want to go out?"

"I-I, I mean, what...what-"

"I win."

"Huh?" Misty stared at him while her jaw was on the floor. He had tricked her!

"Funny how those words got you so off track, Misty," Brock chuckled, while causing Misty's face to turn a bright red.

"Yeah, right!" she shouted, bringing out her mallet and giving Brock a good whack.

"Then why'd you hesitate?"

"Because it was ASH asking, you dimwit!"

"Oh, so it was because of _Ash_, huh?" Brock said suggestively. He earned a sharp kick in his leg from Misty.

"NOT LIKE THAT!"

"Wait, what are you guys talking about?" Ash spoke up, giving them a dumbfounded look.

"What?" Misty and Brock looked back at him, just as confused.

"What's so weird? I don't get why you lost, Misty. That was a pretty stupid question. I mean, we already _are_outside!"

Misty and Brock stared at him for a long, long time.

And then they fell over.


	3. What Misty Really Hates

**Characters: Ash, Misty, Brock.**

**Genre: Humor.**

**Shipping: Pokeshipping.**

**Notes: **This is a recreation of a crappy one-shot I posted a long time ago.

* * *

"You know what I really hate?"

Misty Waterflower quietly asked this at a completely random moment while she, Brock and Ash were sleeping overnight at the Pokemon Center. She dropped over the side of the bunk bed, staring down at Brock across from her and Ash on the bed underneath her.

"Carrots?"

"Bug Pokemon?"

"Peppers?"

She nearly facepalmed from the answers her travel mates gave to her. It's not that they weren't true, but those weren't the only things that she hated! Well...

"Yeah, but you know what I hate more than that?"

"Well it could be Ash, but _obviously_-" Brock begun. He was interrupted by Misty's infamous mallet clonking down on his head.

"I don't know," Ash simply said, waiting for her to answer.

"I hate Caterpie," Misty spat, holding up her head with her hands. She made a disgusted face.

"Stop being...Pokemonist, Misty," Ash said slowly, afterwards realizing that didn't work. (Racist, Sexist, Pokemon-ist, get the drift?)

"They're just so creepy crawly and just...ugh! Never mind. I'll probably have nightmares if I talk about it more. Good night," Misty said with a dismissing wave of her hand, flopping back onto her bed to sleep.

Ash and Brock exchanged glances and shrugged, and went back to sleep.

...not before Ash played a prank on her, of course.

"**ASH! GET IT OFF, GET IT OFF, GET IT OFF!"**

"Hey, Ash...where'd you get a Caterpie from anyways?"

"Oh I have my ways Brock, I have my ways."


	4. I Like it That Way

**Characters: Ash, Misty.**

**Genre: Romance.**

**Shipping: Pokeshipping.**

**Notes: **Yes, I do feel like stating the characters AND the shipping, problem? And about this lil' one-shot, it was inspired a bit by Some Enchanted Evening.

* * *

Misty sat on her knees and hastily splashed water over her face from a water spring, rubbing her hands over her face to wash it thoroughly. After drying off with a towel, she looked down at her reflection and frowned slightly. Her side ponytail no longer spiked out to the side, but now it drooped down.

"It grew longer," she mumbled, running a hand through it. Without a second thought, she zipped open her backpack and begun rummaging through it. She hated it when her hair grew longer. The longer it grew, the more annoying it was to manage.

She sometimes felt so annoyed with it that she desired to hack it all off, but then her girly side kicked in and talked some sense into her. How horrible would Misty look like _that_?

After finding a pair of scissors(wait, when did she even put those in there?) she made clicking sounds with them and moved them closer to the edges of her hair.

"What are you doing?"

The voice startled Misty as she nearly jumped a foot in the air, dropping the scissors and spinning around to face the voice.

Then she scowled once she saw Ash. "Cutting my hair Ash, what does it look like? You scared me half to death," she spoke, still trying to calm down her quickened heartbeat.

"Why?" he asked, his tone sounded disbelieving. He sat down next to her cross legged and stared at their own reflections in the fresh water spring.

"Because, I don't like it when it's long," Misty replied as if it was obvious, although she stalled with her motive, the scissors still lying on the ground.

Ash sat against the oak tree next to them and put his arms behind his neck, tipping his hat over his eyes ever so slightly. "Keep it that way," he said.

"Hmm?" Misty raised her eyebrows at him. She couldn't tell what he was thinking now that his eyes were hidden behind the red and white cap of his.

"Well," he started. He stood up from his position, staring down at her mirroring her expression. "I like it that way."

Misty stared for a moment, flabbergasted before it sunk in. Before she could say anything he had left to Brock's calling. Probably to "clean up your own darn mess, I'm not your mother!"

She flushed a vibrant shade of pink before stashing the scissors away in her backpack.


	5. Curse Myself

**Characters: Ash, Misty, Brock.**

**Genre: Humor, Romance.**

**Shipping: Pokeshipping.**

**Notes: **THIS HERE, MAH FRIEND, IS EXACTLY THE REASON WHY MISTY GETS SOOOO CLOSE TO KILLING ASH...but doesn't. Cue a tinkly laugh that I don't possess right here.

* * *

I was supposed to be furious.

I was supposed to be yelling.

I was supposed to be whacking that red capped idiotic trainer with my trusty Misty Mallet 2000.

"Ash, gimme the map," Brock sighed in exasperation, snatching away the map from his hands and looked at it himself. "Well no wonder we're lost."

"Huh?" I looked down where Brock was pointing. I felt my temperature zoom all the way to the top. "YOU WERE HOLDING THE MAP SIDEWAYS! YOU IDIOT!"

"Accidents happen!" Ash defended himself, shrinking back from my outburst.

"Why won't you ever let me lead, damn it!" My hands gripped his shoulders and my volume increased.

"We're not technically lost! I would've found my way out anyhow," He grumbled, crossing his arms and sticking his tongue out at me. Before I could return the gesture, Brock pulled me back by my shoulders away from him. "Enough!"

"Whatever," I said, frustrated. I crossed my arms and faced the other direction, while Ash did the same.

I heard Brock chuckling behind us. I was very tempted to do something I should not have been doing.

I cheated by peeking a little to my right, glancing at his face. Argh, how was I supposed to stay mad at someone like him? It was impossible!

No, I wouldn't let myself get stuck in the cute-trap.

Ash sent me another glare and stuck his tongue out.

I found myself inwardly swooning.

Curse you Misty, curse you.


	6. Tomboy

**Characters: Misty, Brock.**

**Genre: Humor, Romance.**

**Shipping: Pokeshipping.**

**Notes: **Yes, this little shot right here is based on an episode of Pokemon, with a girl named Temaru. If you haven't seen it, you're in for a surprise! Read on, my friend!

* * *

"Make a move, Brock!"

"But I don't know how! Do you even remember why we're here, Misty?"

"Dear Mew, this will take forever."

A frustrated redhead plopped down forcefully onto a chair and rubbed her temples. On the other end of the table, the spiky-headed Pokemon breeder Brock sat on the other side, and it seemed as if he were drawing a complete blank.

"Okay, listen...out of the millions of girls you've liked, THIS ONE ACTUALLY LIKES YOU! So what do you do?" Misty tried to soften out her tone with a sweet note, she tended to get overstressed at dire situations.

"I...um..." Brock's hand absentmindedly reached his neck as his face flushed with embarrassment.

"Why don't you recite one of your many famous love poems you told Nurse Joy before?" Misty suggusted in a bright tone, her eyes lighting up for a second.

"Um...which one?"

"Er, I don't know...just pick one!"

"But, um, er...I don't remember them!"

Misty was ready to explode into a billion pieces, and they would _not_want that to happen, because once her pieces flew everywhere, they would not be able to find every last bit that flew everywhere, therefore they would not be able to put her back into Misty Waterflower, thus...Misty's death.

Wait...did she really just think that? How disturbing. _Back on task,_Misty thought.

"Okay, now you literally just forced me into the lecture, even though I didn't want to have to come to this. I know you're really nervous since you probably don't know what it's like to have a girl like you back, and guess what? I don't either. So make the best of it and just test the waters, and see what she's like, if you don't soon you'll miss the opportunity! If you miss the girl, YOU'RE NOT GONNA GET ANOTHER GIRL FOR YEARS!"

"What!" Brock shrieked, his face twisted into misery.

"Exactly, don't want that to happen now do, you?" Misty told him, trying to sound taunting, but really she was just stifling giggles. Brock was one of the best friends she ever had. The tips of her mouth sloped downward in frown as she realized what she was really talking Brock into doing. "You know...I know how it feels."

"Huh?" Brock looked up in surprise.

Misty stayed silent for a moment, and then the hairs on her back stood up as a cat's would, suddenly realizing the fatal secret that escaped her lips.

Brock almost laughed. She might as well of had a thought bubble on top of her head saying..."Oops!"

"How _would _you know, Misty?" Brock decided to tease her, pretending to casually ask it as he held his head up with his hands.

"Well, you know, um, I've...I've like heard it...I could um, relate...I mean, I...yeah, I've heard...about..." Misty was ready to kill herself. And the burning sensation across her skin proved it.

"You do know that _I know_, right?" he asked her.

"Know what? I have no idea what you're talking about," she muttered in a dissmissive tone, standing abruptly from her chair, ready to get back to the tea with Ash and Temaru, where they were _supposed _to be.

"Are you really gonna make me say it out loud?" Brock asked knowingly.

"Okay, FINE! Whatever," Misty whispered/yelled through her clenched teeth, which was getting kind of painful.

"You do realize he likes you back."

"Mmh..."

"Hey, are you listening? FINE, I'M GONNA YELL IT, MISTY LOOOOVEESSS-"

"DEAR GOD I GET IT, DON'T YELL!" Misty used a firm hand to clamp it over his mouth, later made a disgusted face and wiped it off on his shirt.

She gave him a look.

He gave him a look.

They laughed.

Sure, there was the classic main girl of a golden trio that had a close bond with the hero, who were bound to be lovers someday...but who could forget the heroine's best friend and the hero's beloved sidekick?

And Misty was glad Brock was the sidekick, he wouldn't really be better any other way.

She rolled her eyes as she thought having guys as friends were so much better than girls. Or, maybe that was just because she was a tomboy.


	7. Valentine's Day

**Characters: Dawn.**

**Genre: Angst, Tragedy.**

**Shipping: Ikarishipping.**

**Notes: **This was made when I felt kind of numb, just bored, not sad though. Psh, I've already been through depression. Oh, and I've made her relate a little to Misa from Death Note.

* * *

Dawn used to adore Valentine's Day.

She liked it because she liked _love. _She knew life was all about love. No matter who you were, life was based upon it, and she clutched onto that belief like it was her heartbeat. No, it was her heartbeat.

For a very pretty girl with a successful life ahead of her, it wasn't odd this girl held such an enormous amount of faith to her heart.

It was odd when she lost it.

The blunette girl wore tattered jeans and an old childhood t-shirt, and still, she was the picture of beauty. She also wore a numb, bland expression that didn't picture her personality right.

She absentmindedly walked throughout the streets of Twinleaf Town, eyeing the stores lining the streets with an eerie gaze. It was a haunting feeling to know that she once enjoyed shopping. Her azure orbs portrayed a strange emotion that was difficult to comprehend. It was possible that it _wasn't _possible to comprehend.

The one thing that stood out the most was that this girl wasn't wearing her favorite triangular clips in her hair, or her pink and white beanie hat. The absence of these accessories portrayed her more like a middle-aged woman despite her true youth.

No one seemed to notice a coordinator who won the Grand Festival was walking by them.

Dawn had won the festival, but it didn't feel right. It felt pointless. Her life felt pointless.

A passerby would somehow catch her eye, immediately looking away. Her gaze was petrifying; terrifying. She walked with a movement that deemed her as elegant, but not graceful. It felt as if if you touched her she would shatter to pieces.

But no, Dawn was certainly not tainted glass to be broken. There was a reason for that.

There was nothing left to be broken.

The pieces were shattered, scattered, long lost.

And sometimes the heart can never truly be healed.

Paul had started as a miniscule in her life, slowly growing to the point where that was all her world had consisted of. She was a happy girl who always was at heart, but her heart only grew bigger when she found that her love was not unrequited.

She never considered the possibility of him leaving.

No, not leaving, not..._death._

But it was the ugly truth, and confronting it had blown her mind, shattered her heart to pieces, and made her cry until there were no more tears and her stomach and head and everything hurt.

It hurt so bad.

It hurt so bad to know that she could have called one last time.

But it didn't hurt anymore.

A picture perfect Valentine's Day couple strolled past Dawn, giggling and whispering like an ocean's melody.

Dawn's numbness fought off jealousy, or any other emotion that she dared try to feel. It felt strange, to have the tears flowing down her cheeks so much, but no feeling the pit of sorrow that she was in for so long.

No, it was because she was beyond the pit. She was underground, unable to be rescued.

No one ever noticed her, and that was probably because she wasn't Dawn anymore.

Without him to acknowledge her, who else would?

So when she flung herself off the tower, she knew that she would be awaiting nothing in the darkness below.

She only clutched on to the mere fact that it was Valentine's Day in her heart as she succumbed below.

Some would say a beautiful life was just thrown away, but really, what was the purpose of a life when you had nothing to live for?


	8. Hope

**Characters: Brock, Ash, Misty.**

**Genre: Angst, Romance.**

**Shipping: Sissyshipping, Pokeshipping. **

**Notes: **Er, the shipping name is quite odd, I'm aware. It's official, though. You might not know who the character is if you weren't a Kanto/Johto fan. Well, enjoy!

* * *

Times were hard.

Another unsettling, shudder-inducing cold breeze ruffled past the three human figures walking amongst barren land, those figures including me.

We found shelter in a cave.

We huddled together as best as we could for body heat, since the fire we had managed to get going could only do so much.

No one dared to speak.

Ash's copper eyes and Misty's cerulean ones gazed at me. I understood all the emotions they conveyed in the simple glance.

And it hurt to see the desperation they felt was worse than mine.

Snow was beginning to fall, but it was far from magical. It was icy, cruel, and it almost felt as if it was mocking us with each layer that begin to stick to the ground.

I think the only way I managed to stay sane this long was the fact my best friends were right beside me.

Knowing that provided me relief beyond compare.

Suddenly, the two next to me cuddled closer.

I didn't mind it, as I wrapped my arms around me tighter.

They kissed.

I loathed myself for it, but I watched out of the corner of my eye.

My stomach lurched and my heart throbbed painfully. I think I could even feel my eyes began to moist.

Maybe, is this that feeling they talk about? The feeling of the third wheel?

I know Ash and Misty would never make it without me.

Yet nothing can explain the sudden distance I began to feel from them.

And before I knew it, I realized that yes, I really was crying.

It was ironic, almost. We had just gone through the unspeakable, we had been separated, tortured, and things that I no longer wanted to remember.

And yet here I was, feeling _jealous_. I choked back a bitter laugh.

My thoughts flickered to the past, before all of this.

Surprisingly, the first person that came to my mind was Wilhelmina.

I met her so long ago...and here I felt the flicker of hope ignite.

True hope.

The tiniest of smiles formed on my lips as the two teens looked at me, blushing up to their roots.

"Don't worry, I didn't watch." The strength to say those words, had come from a strength that I didn't know, it was completely foreign to me.

They laughed.

It felt better to know I was still a part of them.

Though I think I'll never be as close as I will be to them, that flicker of hope refused to die, amidst the blizzard and the couple curled up beside me.

I only hoped it would grow into something more.


	9. You Love Her, Don't You?

**Characters: Ash, Misty, Brock.**

**Genre: Humor.**

**Shipping: Pokeshipping**

**Notes: **This is an **AU **drabble, my friends. It's based off of my favorite Dreamworks movie. You'll get it. XD

* * *

Ash was so screwed.

"Oh my g-Brock, we'll never make it in time!" he yelled, mud splattering all over his jeans as he brushed away sweaty hair from his forehead.

"Well it's your fault she left in the first place!" Brock replied, having a bit more trouble keeping up with Ash with his current clothing, a baby pink tuxedo.

Oh, that was another story.

"It's not me! She thought I was-okay never mind, we're here, we're here!" Ash skidded to a dusty stop, looking up ahead at a wedding-decorated Cerulean Gym. "Come on Brock, we've gotta get there before she marri-"

Brock took no time at all in pulling Ash's shoulders back, nearly toppling over, and spinning him around to face himself. "Hold on."

"Whaddaya mean, hold on? SHE'S GONNA GET FREAKING MARRIED!"

"ASH! LISTEN!"

"WHAT?" Ash screamed back.

"Look, you love this woman, don't you?"

"Yes."

"You wanna hold her?"

"Yes!"

"Please her?"

"YES!"

"Then you've got ta, got ta, try a little _tenderness_! The chicks love that romantic crap!"

And after throwing at every single curse known to man at Brock for wasting such valuable time, he crashed through the doors of the Cerulean City Gym, ending this wedding once and for all.


	10. MM: Part 1?

**Characters: Misty, Ash.**

**Genre: Hurt/Comfort, Angst, Romance**

**Shipping: One-sided Pokeshipping**

**Notes: **Uh, dang. This was sort of sad. _One-sided_ Pokeshipping, my first try. Help me improve!

* * *

_Mahogany Mementos_

* * *

It was deteriorating.

"It" being my infatuation for this oblivious aficionado of a trainer. It started out with this complete stream of denial, because honestly, I have to admit at first I looked down on Ash. He was a year younger than me, after all.

I asked myself, "Why would I like someone that's so _stupid_?"

Of course I was cognizant of the answer, yet also of course I didn't let myself believe that I knew the answer. Now I did. In a way, he had sort of put me in my place. He made me realize that sometimes, being smart wasn't so great after all.

When you're smart, you know things that you don't want to know.

The thing I admired the most was the he was so caring. He was incredibly strong and brave and sometimes, I felt even overshadowed by him. It scared me. But of course, I never let _that _part of me show. In fact, he seemed willing to accept that I would always act like I was above him.

_Why?_

And sometimes I would just stare at him. I couldn't help it. I admired every single trait he had, and I could do nothing to stop myself from it. From his skin tone to his skinny build to his _eyes_. I loved it when he looked at me for that reason.

People tried to convince me he liked me, too.

I knew it wasn't true.

I had figured out his type. He couldn't distinguish flirting and friendly advances apart from each other. What he considers friendly, I consider romantic. It sucks, doesn't it? Whenever he touches me I feel a spark, but he appears to be unfazed and gushes on about whatever he has to say at the moment.

We had fallen asleep together in the same bed, held hands, been so unbearably close it makes me want to scream - but it never ever had effected him, not once.

Brock was trying to tell me I was being paranoid, but no, I _wasn't_!

He didn't like me. Not a single bit.

I can't blame him, though. I'm not attractive with my pale skin and too-skinny build and weirdly shaped facial features. Oh, and don't even get me started on my hair. It's rare when I fall into self-pity rants, but it seems like now is one of those rare times.

Ash was my weak spot.

He made me second-doubt myself, and I thought I was supposed to be confident.

I mean, I had to be, right? Being the "runt" of the family after all.

Nope. It's all a lie. Right now I have the self confidence of a Caterpie. I am weak and at this point, pretty much worthless.

A somber wind hushed my musings and soon enough Ash came into view. He had just come back from training, and was soaking with sweat. He was so hardworking.

"Whatcha upto, Mist?" And... so casually sweet, something that I could never pull off. I brought myself to look at him, and man did I regret it. I could literally feel myself wanting to gravitate towards him.

"I was just thinking about stuff," I said. I didn't want to act all down and mopey around him and bring him down, too. The least I could do was keep him happy.

"Uh, what kinda stuff?" he questioned me, resting an elbow on the table, hinting at something I couldn't quite decipher.

Maybe I should...tell him.

"Okay, I have a question for you. What's the one thing that puts you down the most?" There, that's a good question to start. I'll work from there.

He shrugged and scrunched his eyes thoughtfully. "I don't like it when people think...that I'm a bad person, or annoying, or really any sorta negative thing about me."

This kind of surprised me. I expected him to say "failure" or something along those lines. But it did make sense. Being a trainer, you can't let something petty like failure get to you. On the other hand, your reputation really mattered...

"I can see that," I replied. "Okay, random scenario: Some girl is madly in love with you and you put her down a lot without even knowing it. How would you feel about that?" Oh god oh shoot please let him be dense enough to not see any double meanings in this. I need to stop spouting out this crap.

He started at me very intently for a moment, and I felt my heart skip a beat.

"I would, see why I was putting her down and try to stop doing that, because I know how it feels."

"What if you just put her down by existing. She's just simply...sad that she can't be with you."

For a second, he seemed very sad, but it faded away very quickly. I wasn't even sure if I saw it all. "Heh, sucks for her then," he said playfully.

I felt like he had slapped me in the face. "What if _I _had this huge crush on you, huh?" My words were dangerously venomous.

The next stare he gave me I couldn't bare. His deep beautifully coloured copper eyes seem to bore holes through mine. "Do you, though?"

"Oh for Mew's sake, it doesn't matter!"

I sensed him recoil.

"Just...I..." he stumbled repeatedly and didn't seem to exactly know what to say, so I cut in for him.

"Yes, okay. Yes!" I grit my teeth and tried to concentrate on everything but this, but it wouldn't work.

I didn't have to wait long for what he had to say.

"I don't like you that way."

I immediately burst out laughing. "I knew it! This has by far been the stupidest thing I have ever done. I mean, what was I thinking? Oh geez, I'm...I'm stupid." The tears kicked in hard and fast.

The problem was though, where exactly are you supposed to flee in a dense forest filled with wild pokemon?

But for me, the answer was clear: Anywhere away from here.

I took my bag and had the decency to at least murmur an excuse, and did a pretty good job holding a facade over my overwhelming sudden emotion.

All I knew was one thing: I _never _wanted to go back.


	11. Hearts or Diamonds?

**Characters: Ash, Misty**

**Genre: Hurt/Comfort, Romance**

**Shipping: Pokeshipping**

**Notes: **I literally relate to Misty so much it hurts. I see their relationship as her always trying to convince herself that she didn't like her idiot best friend, and him always sending these frustrating mixed signals and it's just terrible.

* * *

Every Saturday evening you and your best friend would visit each other.

The said best friend was Ash, whom you've known for longer than you can remember. Well, you can remember, but you'd like to think that you've been his friend for longer than anyone else. You'd like to.

Ever since you both parted ways, in a morose way or not, you had concurred to have a simple get together every week to keep in touch.

All your friends would scoff and make fun of you, with comments like, "You two should go out already!" or "What do you do with him alone, anyway?"

The irritation you feel for them borderlines the depths of hell, but you withstand it, because he's your friend.

Your friend.

One Saturday, you quickly realize that things have not been going well for the both of you.

You had been losing gym battles all in a row, and he's hit a similar block, and you know that even though he said he was fine.

You only roll your eyes when he says that. No one is ever "fine" when all they do is sulk and murmur conversation.

The afternoon was coming to a close, and you checked your watch, which was starting to glow as the sky dimmed into warm sunset colours.

Seven fifty three P.M. was the time, and you knew you had to take your leave.

Usually it would be a reluctant leave, with him joking about having you stay over, laughing over your latest insider, or just silent content from having a wonderful time.

It wasn't like that today, of course. You sigh, hoping that this is only a bad day.

You stand up wordlessly and head to the door, where he had already been standing. "Well, I guess I'll see you."

He stares for a moment with his dull copper eyes. "You could just stay, you know."

And this froze your brain completely.

He's said it before, mostly jokingly, but he sounded quite...serious this time.

You manage a smile, and mutter, "I can't."

He smiles a bit and you light up a little on the inside, glad that he's starting to feel like himself again. You light up and dim down all at once, because those feelings that you had always harbored for your best friend began acting up, and your heartbeat accelerates and your temperature skyrockets.

"But you could."

You let out a bitter laugh.

"But I can't."


	12. Solutions

**Pairing: **Contestshipping

**Prompts: **Math class

**Notes: **This was a _random _little tidbit I wrote mirroring my frustration of Pre-Cal. Enjoy!

* * *

**Arithmetic**

* * *

Drew was really annoyed.

"This makes absolutely no sense." He glared at the textbook on his desk. The paper resting beside it had several eraser marks and crossed out attempts at solving mathematics problems, much like the girl's next to him.

"Keep staring, Drew," May said grouchily as she rested her head in her hand. "Maybe your laser vision will kick in soon."

"Dammit," Drew snapped. "This is no time for jokes."

"That wasn't a joke."

"Just... stop talking."

May laughed. It wasn't a normal day where one could ruffle Drew's feathers. May often wondered if he even _had_ feathers - in the metaphorical sense, of course.

Unfortunately, the laugh ceased as she looked down at her textbook again. Oh, right.

_That's_ why she was grouchy in the first place.

She looked over to Drew, who was hastily reworking another problem. They shared Pre-calculus together, much to May's disdain, because most of the time Drew would score higher than her on everything in math - not even by a large margin, sometimes just by a little _measly point._

It made her so mad.

But now, both of them were stumped. It was a new lesson on polynomials. May was totally fine with polynomials, _really_ - they had already learned a bunch of the content from last year in Algebra 2 & Trig. (with Drew as well, unfortunately). But _this_ - what the _hell _was this?

[Given the root 5i - 2, solve for the remaining roots of x⁴ - 3x³ + 2x² - 38.]

"You can't even use synthetic on this!" Drew outburst, both hands slamming the desk at another failed attempt at a problem. "What _is_ this?"

May just shrugged. She had already given up on this a long time ago. "I gave up. I mean, you could always ask the teacher."

"No," said Drew immediately. "I do not need the help of the _teacher_."

"Well, I do," May said. She raised her hand and the teacher walked over, and for the next several minutes they discussed the methods of solving the problem.

Drew tried not to listen - _really, he did_ - but they were kind of loud. He couldn't help hearing it.

"Right, and you can use the DeCartes rule as well..." the teacher explained.

Drew's eyes widened as a lightbulb went off in his head. Right, DeCartes! He saw that somewhere earlier in the textbook. He hastily flipped back a couple of pages to find it. He scanned it, muttering the words to himself as he comprehended the rule.

"But... how will this help me solve it?"

Drew looked over hesitantly to May. The teacher was gone and her pencil was scratching away at the paper. "I don't know," she whimpered, collapsing onto her desk in a fit of comical sobs. "I don't get this at all..."

Drew stared, and suddenly felt a slight pang of sympathy for his brunette friend. She had always been a step behind him - but now, they were one.

They both suffered the pain of Pre-cal. They suffered it _together_.

"May," Drew said, lowering his head dramatically. "I will find out how to do this. No matter what."

May looked up slowly, smiling tearfully up at him. "Really, Drew?"

"Of course." Drew nodded solemnly, holding a hand to his heart.

They heard giggling from behind, and both turned to see the commotion. Lyra sat behind the both of them, eyes twinkling. "You guys are such soulmates!" she cooed.

May's reaction was very flustered. "Shut up, Lyra! God. This is why no one likes you."

Lyra, unfazed, just kept giggling behind her hand.

"We were simply empathizing over our mutual pain in this class," Drew explained dutifully, trying to ignore the leaps in his stomach as he did so.

"I suppose you're right," Lyra said casually, leaning on her elbows. "There's plenty of other girls pining after you in The Harem, after all."

Drew smirked at the mention of 'The Harem' and May sighed in aggravation. Like that grasshead needed a bigger head.

"What can I say? I'm adored," Drew shrugged nonchalantly.

"Having a harem doesn't do you any good when you can't even _solve a single math problem_," May said pointedly, gesturing to the book madly.

Drew peered at her through narrowed slits. "And can you, madam?"

"That has _nothing_ to do with _anything._"

"It has _everything_ to do with everything."

"You just think you're good at everything, don't you?"

"Well, I am!"

May huffed and gave him a disbelieving look. "Unbelievable, Hayden."

Drew shrugged and pointedly ignored her only to stare pointlessly at the textbook again. He couldn't even _pretend_ like he was doing homework, anymore. He didn't know _how_.

He snuck a glance at May, noting the way her eyes bore into the same spot in her textbook. He smiled in satisfaction before turning around to face Lyra. "Hey, Lyra?"

"What's up?" She glanced up innocently and flashed him a grin.

"Do you get this?" he asked slowly.

She nodded. "Of course."

"You knew _all this time and didn't **say**_ anything!?**"**

"It's fun to watch you guys bicker!"

Lyra gave him a look, and Drew sighed in defeat before turning around to face her. "I dread to ask, but... can you show me how to do number twenty one?"

"My pleasure." She smiled. "My price: You teach May."

Drew's brows creased in thought. "Hm... you propose a fair deal. I accept."

"Good."

While May snoozed away at her desk from a long week's worth of lost sleep, Drew learned the secrets of imaginary numbers in polynomial functions. It was a beautiful day for Drew, that it was.

"This literally makes so much more sense now," Drew mused as he stared at the finished problem on his sheet.

"And that it is." Lyra grinned innocently...almost a little _too_ innocently.

Drew waved a hand in her direction. "Yeah, yeah, I get it, I'll teach her."

Lyra smiled graciously in return. Drew glared before turning back around and tapping May on the shoulder. "May!"

May cracked an eye open and simply glared. "What do you want, Hayden?"

Drew triumphantly waved a completed homework sheet in her face.

"You got it!?" She rose quickly with widened cerulean eyes.

"Indeed," responded Drew with a smirk.

There was a brief silence.

"Well?" Drew glared.

"Well, what?" May questioned.

"Are you going to grovel for my help?"

May glared for a split second before ultimately bursting into laughter and playfully shoving him away. "You insufferable jerk..."

And when the bell rung, the next thing Drew knew he was kissing her on the cheek as he said goodbye to get to his next class.


End file.
